Senior officials confirmed that the CISF had been informed by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) regarding its approvals for the new terminal building at the city airport. It was stated that 241 CISF personnel would be dispatched to take charge of the new building in the near future. Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke had previously verified that the final BCAS approval needed for the floor plan to establish food and beverage outlets at the new building had been received. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Shrikant Kishore, spokesperson for the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), informed TOI that BCAS had communicated its approval and the proposal to deploy personnel had been forwarded to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for further approval. He anticipated that the approval would arrive soon, although a specific date could not be confirmed. Regarding information on the infrastructural requirements for the new contingent in Pune, Kishore mentioned that an IG-rank officer in Bengaluru was assessing this and would provide a report. He expressed confidence that airport officials would have prepared the necessary infrastructure, given their urgency to operationalize the new terminal building promptly. The terminal building, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 10, remains closed. Airport officials had clarified earlier that two BCAS approvals were pending?oone for the inline baggage check-in system and the other for the floor plan. They also highlighted the necessity for CISF personnel to arrive before the terminal could become operational. Dhoke added that upon the arrival of the CISF contingent, there would be an adjustment period as both buildings would operate concurrently for a brief period. However, he expected operations to shift entirely to the new terminal building within four or five days after personnel deployment.
